International School Almere, Amsterdam | International Schools Guide

A partially state-funded IB school on a single Almere campus, drawing expat families who want low fees, small classes, and a through-line from primary into the Diploma. The atmosphere reads as friendly and unpretentious, with teachers who know children by name and a parent body that mixes into school life. Older complaints about heavy turnover and remote management have eased since a leadership reset a couple of years back, though more recent voices still flag uneven teaching quality, slow responses, and patchy handling of bullying and facilities.

Fees and access. Partial Dutch public funding keeps the annual fee around EUR 4,500 for primary, a fraction of what Amsterdam private internationals charge. The full IB pathway from PYP through Diploma sits on one Almere campus.

Community and culture. Around 45 nationalities in a small setting. Families describe being treated as people rather than numbers, with vertical mentoring, an active food fair, and roughly eighteen after-school clubs that pull parents in.

Leadership reset. A leadership change in 2022 to 2023 is credited with steadier staffing, a less hierarchical feel, and better day-to-day communication. Internal voices report subject results edging above IB world averages in places.

Considerations

Teacher consistency. Older accounts describe heavy annual turnover and stretched cover teachers. More public comments suggest staffing has stabilised, but some students still describe a small core of strong teachers surrounded by weaker ones, with slow email responses.
Pastoral response. Recent accounts mention bullying cases that drifted for months before parents pushed, and patchy follow-through on day-to-day concerns. Set against earlier reviews praising a no-bullies feel, the picture is uneven.
Facilities upkeep. Student voices flag bathrooms that are not consistently clean or stocked, with broken fittings noted. The purpose-built campus itself reads as bright and well laid out, so this lands as maintenance rather than fabric.
Location and commute. Almere sits about thirty minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal, workable for one parent commuting but a long daily run for two. Families who already live in Flevoland get a rare local IB option.